Thursday, May 04, 2006

What Color Is This Paper

I found this sheet of paper in our staff lounge earlier this week. What color does it look like to you? Initially I was at a loss to describe it. It looks a lot like the color of the ocean around tropical islands, pictures of which I saw often when I received Islands Magazine. But what do you call that color then, Tropical Blue? Maybe.

It's a very interesting color, one you certainly don't see every day. So if I wanted to order this color paper, what color would I order? Funky Blue?

The actual color, from the label on the ream, is Lunar Blue.

Huh? Lunar Blue? Are you kidding me?

I was young, but I remember watching our astronauts on the moon. I've seen lots of footage taken of and on the moon. I've even seen a piece of moonrock at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. I have never seen anything blue on the moon.

How does this strange color become Lunar Blue? When I think of lunar, I think of gray. Very gray. Lifeless, dull, gray. I don't think of some electric blue. How is this name supposed to be descriptive at all? It's not even as accurate or descriptive as Blue Shade 32B would be.

Someone got paid a lot of money to name that color of paper. I should have such a job.